Gameday v Cleveland - Jets articles Sun 12/9

[Kentucky Jet]

Opposing coaches, old friends

Sunday, December 9, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

The occasion was Romeo Crennel's 60th birthday in June, and his family had brought together some of his closest friends to celebrate.

"My daughter put a blindfold on me," Crennel recalled recently, "and I said, 'Why do I need a blindfold?' And she said, 'It's because of your gift.' I asked her, 'What is it, a car and you can't get it in the house?' By that time we were there and I got out of the car and heard voices. I said, 'There's a lot more voices here than family,' then I took the blindfold off and saw everybody."

"He was surprised," said Eric Mangini, one of the guests that day. "I think he thought he was getting a new car when they blindfolded him. I don't know if he was disappointed or happy when he realized that it was just us."

Mangini laughed and added, "But his family did a great job with the party. It was what you would expect from any event with him and his family. It was just a very fun, warm party celebrating a great guy."

Close friends Mangini and Crennel again will get together this afternoon at Giants Stadium, and the Jets' coach hopes that once again he can be part of an eye-opening surprise for Crennel, whose 7-5 Browns are battling for an AFC wild-card spot. The Jets (3-9), three-point underdogs, are looking for their third win in four games.

But no matter what happens, count on a much warmer postgame encounter between these two coaches than there will be a week later when the Jets visit Bill Belichick's Patriots.

"Rac is a great friend, [a] great guy," Mangini said recently, referring to Crennel by his longtime nickname. "I was lucky to be with him here when we were at the Jets for three years, and he was great during that time where I was really learning the defense and he was a guy that I'd go to with questions on the front, questions on the secondary.

"It was me, Bill [belichick], Rac and Al [Groh], and those guys had been in the system for years. They were always drawing on their Giants' experiences, and I had seen the Giants' games, but from my living room. They had experienced them."

That was from 1997-99. In 2001, Crennel went to New England as Belichick's defensive coordinator, and when he and his wife, Rosemary, needed a place to stay while their house was being finished, Mangini and his wife, Julie, offered to have them move in with them.

"It was very nice of he and Julie to open their home to us, and we lived with them for about six months," Crennel said. "Eric and I were able to ride into work together a lot of times. It was very nice and that helped the friendship grow and develop even more."

And except for this week, Mangini has been quick to ask Crennel for head-coaching advice, as Crennel got the Browns' job one season before Mangini was hired by the Jets.

"I was able to run some ideas off of him because he had been going through things for the first time, and we had a similar frame of reference," Mangini said. "We could draw on those experiences and compare and contrast. So that was a nice sounding board [and] still is."

When asked what Mangini is like off the field, Crennel responded, "I don't know what side of him that you see, because I don't watch the press conferences and I don't see you guys deal with him on a daily basis. He's a good guy behind the scenes. He's fun-loving, he enjoys a good laugh and a good meal. He's like I am, and that's why we get along so well."

So don't look for any intrigue and espionage today. Instead, it will be two men trying to beat one another's team for three hours or so, and then resuming their friendship as always.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

* * *

Jets (3-9) vs. Browns (7-5)

Giants Stadium

Today, 4:15

TV: Ch. 2; Radio: ESPN-AM 1050, WABC-AM 770

Line: Browns by 3

What's at stake

Jets: The Jets are merely seeking to improve and build on the positive late-season vibes created by two wins in their last three games. For coach Eric Mangini, at stake are bragging rights over close friend Romeo Crennel when he and the Cleveland coach get together during the off-season.

Browns: Cleveland is trying to rebound from a frustrating 27-21 loss at Arizona. A win would help Cleveland keep pace in a crowded AFC wild-card picture. The Browns are tied with Tennessee for the second wild-card berth, and none of their last four opponents has a winning record.

Key matchups

Jets RB Thomas Jones vs. Browns' front seven: Cleveland's run defense is ranked 28th in the league, and the Jets should look to pound it right at the Browns. Jones has three 100-yard games this season and could get a fourth against a Cleveland defense that has allowed individual opponents to reach 100 yards on nine occasions, with both Pittsburgh's Willie Parker and Baltimore's Willis McGahee accomplishing the feat twice.

Browns TE Kellen Winslow vs. SS Kerry Rhodes: Rhodes has become more active with his blitzing in recent games, but he may have to stay at home more often to try to contain Winslow. The Jets use a lot of cover-2, which has made them vulnerable to TEs such as Baltimore's Todd Heap and Washington's Chris Cooley. Winslow has 65 receptions and five touchdowns this season.

How they'll win

Jets: Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer dials up an outstanding game plan, just as he did last week against Miami. QB Kellen Clemens plays mistake-free ball and banged-up WR Laveranues Coles again comes through in the clutch. The defense temporarily derails Cleveland QB Derek Anderson's storybook season and puts the clamps on RB Jamal Lewis, who has rushed for 803 yards and eight TDs.

Browns: Anderson continues his fine play, burning the Jets' secondary with both Winslow over the middle and wideout Braylon Edwards (12 TD catches, 16.8-yard average) deep. This helps open the running lanes for Lewis. The Browns' bottom-ranked defense plays over its collective heads and harasses the sack-prone Clemens (19 in five starts) and stops any gadget plays the Jets try.

-- J.P. Pelzman

[Kentucky Jet]

Browns' Anderson making most of opportunity

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

December 9, 2007

Kellen Clemens and Derek Anderson may hail from the same West Coast state, but even though both took the Oregon Trail to the NFL, they've had very different experiences.

Clemens was drafted in the second round by the Jets in 2006 and has been groomed for his current position as starter ever since. He's been given every chance to succeed in his short career, and because the Jets are so highly invested in him, his immediate future seems quite secure.

Anderson, by contrast, was taken in the sixth round by the Ravens in 2005. Five months later, a month into his rookie season, he was waived. The Browns picked him up the next day, but he sat on their bench as an afterthought for more than a year. He started three games for the team in 2006, but only in the cold of December after the Browns had run out of options at the position.

The Browns used a first-round pick to draft Brady Quinn out of Notre Dame and started the year with Charlie Frye as their quarterback. Once again it seemed as if Anderson were the forgotten man.

Then came the Week 2 game against the Bengals, when Anderson outdueled Carson Palmer for a 51-45 win. Now he's been the best feel-good story not named Favre in the league this season, and he hopes to keep feeling good after he and the Browns leave the New York area after today's game.

"I kept plugging away and didn't really worry about it," Anderson said of his hard road to a starting job. "I knew that things would run their course."

Anderson has thrown for 24 touchdowns, which is fourth-best in the NFL, but he's also thrown 13 interceptions. Despite an unstable start to his own career, he seems poised to provide some stability to a position that has been wobbly for almost a decade.

The Browns have had 10 starting quarterbacks since 1999. With a 7-7 record as starter, Anderson is the only one among the 10 without a losing mark. Only Tim Couch (59) and Frye (19) have more starts during that span

Last month, Browns general manager Phil Savage said he is leaning toward giving Anderson, soon to be a restricted free agent, the highest contract tender after the season. It's a good bargaining position for the Browns to be in, especially with Quinn waiting in the wings (which, if you watched April's draft, you know he's used to).

Both Browns coach Romeo Crennel and Jets coach Eric Mangini have seen sixth-round draft picks blossom into fairly good NFL quarterbacks. They coached together in New England, after all, where Tom Brady was a sixth-rounder.

"It happens all the time," Mangini said. "You pick guys high and they're busts, and you pick guys low and they turn out to be great players."

Crennel said he's always thought highly of Anderson's abilities and that it was just a matter of finding him the right opportunity.

"Then, once he got the opportunity to be the starter this year, he's taken the bull by the horns and has run with it," Crennel said. "He's not perfect, and he'll tell you that. We're constantly working to try to get better. So far he's done a nice job and has helped us win some games to put us in the position we're in."

That position is facing the Jets today and trying to win to advance their playoff aspirations.

Browns at Jets, 4:15 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2Radio: WEPN (1050)

FLASHBACK: The Jets and Browns met on Sept. 21, 1970, at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium in the first "Monday Night Football" game ever broadcast. The Browns won, 31-21.

MEET THE ENEMY

Braylon Edwards, WR

The list goes like this: Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Braylon Edwards. Those are the players with the most touchdown receptions this season. Edwards, who started the year as a relative unknown, has flourished in his third NFL campaign. His 12 receiving scores are the most by a Browns player since 1968 and one shy of the franchise record. He is averaging 16.8 yards per reception, fourth best in the league, and is just under 200 receiving yards shy of Webster Slaughter's team mark of 1,236 set in 1989. Jets safety Kerry Rhodes has become good friends with Edwards. "He's coming in playing real well," Rhodes said, "so it is not going to be good to see him."

LOOKING BACK

Jan. 3, 1987

Browns 23, Jets 20

The Jets were poised to punch their ticket to the AFC Championship Game, leading this divisional playoff contest 20-10 with less than four minutes to play. But on third-and-24, Mark Gastineau was flagged for roughing the passer, giving the Browns a first down and prolonging a drive that ended with Kevin Mack's touchdown run. The Browns tied the score on Mark Moseley's 22-yard field goal with 11 seconds left in regulation. Moseley missed a 23-yard attempt midway through the first overtime but connected on a 27-yarder 2:02 into the second overtime to end the second-longest game in NFL history. The Jets wouldn't reach the playoffs again for five years.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets face the Patriots in Foxborough next Sunday. Should be a relatively quiet week for both teams.

[Kentucky Jet]

State rivals Derek Anderson, Kellen Clemens duel again

By RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Sunday, December 9th 2007, 4:00 AM

McGrath/Getty

It was Dec. 2, 2000, the first time Kellen Clemens and Derek Anderson faced each other on a football field. They were the top high-school quarterbacks in Oregon, and now they were finally going to meet with a berth in the state championship game at stake.

"Before the game, somebody got the two kids together for a picture," recalled Terry Graham, who coached Clemens at Burns High School. "You just had a sense they were going to be something special."

Nobody dreamed the rivalry would be this special. It went from Burns versus Scappoose in the Class 3A semifinals to Jets versus Browns in the NFL.

It will be Round 4 of the Clemens-Anderson series Sunday at the Meadowlands, where Clemens hopes to even the score. He lost the high school showdown, 46-26, and split with Anderson as starting quarterbacks in the Oregon-Oregon State "Civil War." Now the two gunslingers go to Broadway, a long way from Autzen Stadium in Eugene, site of their first duel.

"It's really an amazing thing how two guys from small towns in Oregon can now be starting for NFL teams, going against one another (today)," Clemens said.

Both players began the season on the bench, but Clemens (2-3 as a starter) replaced Chad Pennington last month and Anderson (7-4) took over for the departed Charlie Frye. Anderson was supposed to be a seat warmer for first-round pick Brady Quinn, but he has emerged as one of the top breakout players in the league.

Anderson is living proof that not every good quarterback enters the league on a red carpet. He entered through the back door, a sixth-round pick of the Ravens in 2005. They sent him packing and he landed in Cleveland, where he has galvanized an explosive offense that features pass catchers Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, Jr. (You think the quarterback-starved Ravens are second-guessing themselves?)

"It's just neat to see him get the opportunity that he deserves," Clemens said.

They have every reason to be blood enemies, but Clemens and Anderson are friends. A few weeks ago, they talked before the Jets' upset over the Steelers, with Anderson providing some helpful tips.

Their friendship began before their senior year in high school, when they were invited to the "Elite 11" quarterback camp in Southern California. During down time, they took in an Angels game and spent time at the beach, body surfing - culture shock for a couple of Oregon kids.

"We did our best to get on top of some waves and ride them," Clemens said. "It was fun just to get out in warm water."

They like to tease each other about their hometowns. Even though Scappoose (pop. 4,976) is hardly a bustling metropolis, Anderson told Cleveland writers this week, "He's from more of a hick town than I am. His town (pop. 3,064) is as far away from anywhere as you can get."

One high school recruiting service rated Clemens the seventh-best quarterback prospect in the country, Anderson ninth. Others in the top 10 included current Chiefs starter Brodie Croyle, the Cards' Matt Leinart and Twins catcher Joe Mauer. By the time Clemens and Anderson met in the state semis, Clemens had committed to Oregon, Anderson to Oregon State.

Rivalry on.

"There was a lot of hype for that game, a lot of publicity," Graham said.

Anderson outplayed Clemens that night, although Clemens completed a 15-yard, submarine-type throw on the run that still is talked about in those parts. As the final seconds ticked away, Anderson walked across the line of scrimmage and hugged Clemens, who also played safety.

"They just beat us in every sense of the word," said Clemens, reflecting on the Scappoose loss.

Clemens avenged the defeat in 2003, delivering a three-touchdown passing performance to beat Oregon State, 34-20. The following year, it was Anderson's turn, as he threw four touchdowns to lead Oregon State, 50-21, in the Civil War, one of college football's great rivalries.

"In Oregon, you're either a Beaver or a Duck, and there's no in-between," Clemens said.

They also faced each other three times in various basketball tournaments through high school, Clemens' team winning twice. On the all-sports tally board, it's Clemens 3, Anderson 3.

Rivalry on again.

Discuss This Article

[Kentucky Jet]

BY HANK GOLA Browns at Jets at Giants Stadium, 4 p.m.

The Line: Browns by 3

TV: Ch. 2 (Dick Enberg, Randy Cross)

Radio: WEPN 1050-AM, WABC 770-AM (Bob Wischusen, Marty Lyons). In Spanish on WADO 1280-AM (Clemson Smith-Muniz, Nelson Fernandez)

Forecast: Cloudy and rainy, in the low 40s.

Injury Impact

The Browns could get three players back on what has been a decimated D-line that has hurt their run defense. DE Orpheus Roye, DE Robaire Smith and NT Ethan Kelley all practiced this week. CB Eric Wright is also due back. Jets WR Laveranues Coles (high ankle sprain) is expected to play but could be limited again. WR Jerricho Cotchery (finger) is not expected to play, although both are said to be game-time decisions.

Feature Matchup

Jets TE Chris Baker vs. Browns SS Sean Jones and OLB Antwan Peek: Baker, who has the best pair of hands on the Jets, will face a pass defense that has allowed a league-high 27 TDs and has been hurt by tight ends all year. Baker has had three red zone TD catches this year and he nearly won the game with one last year in Cleveland, where it was ruled no catch. Kellen Clemens tends to lock into his primary receivers, however, so he will have to be aware of where Baker is. Browns KR Joshua Cribbs vs. Jets KR Leon Washington: They may not be matched up against each other per se but they should have a lot to say about which team has the better field position. Each is averaging over 30 yards per kick return, although Cribbs has been contained a little better lately. The Jets' Mike Nugent has a better leg than the Browns' Phil Dawson, which could translate into more touchbacks, and Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff is one of the best at devising coverages. Cribbs and Washington are 1-2 in the league returning kicks, with five TDs between them, and as Washington admits, this game could decide who goes to the Pro Bowl.

Scout Says

"The Browns have the edge at the skill positions, where they can send Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow out together, limiting how much help Kerry Rhodes can give his corner. In addition, the Browns have done a great job of protecting QB Derek Anderson all year so the Jets will have to gamble to get pressure and force him into bad decisions. Look for the Browns to get back to Jamal Lewis this week after getting away from the run in Arizona. This is a good O-line and Cleveland must take advantage of that. The Browns' defense is very vulnerable, particularly against the run. It's December, so Thomas Jones will have a lot to say about the Jets' chances."

Intangibles

The 7-5 Browns, the league's biggest surprise team, are tied with the Titans for the final wild-card spot and can't afford losses to sub .500 teams. But the Jets are feeling good about themselves after dusting the Dolphins and are determined to finish the season strong, particularly on defense, where they've had some good signs. The Meadowlands isn't a friendly place to play this time of year and this will test the Browns' mettle. Cleveland is where Eric Mangini got his start and his reunion with Romeo Crennel, his defensive coordinator under Bill Belichick, will be substantially less frosty than the greeting he'll get in Foxborough next week.

NUMBERS GAIN: 10

Consecutive games with an interception by the Jets' defense, second only to the Patriots (11). The Browns have seven straight.

Prediction

BROWNS, 35-31. Should be high scoring and that will favor Cleveland's passing game.

[Kentucky Jet]

Nothing to lose this week

[Kentucky Jet]

JETS TALKING A WIN STREAK

TWO IN ROW, FINALLY, IF THEY BEAT BROWNS

By MARK CANNIZZARO

Leon Washington

December 9, 2007 -- When you have won three times in 12 games, chances are you haven't had any sort of winning streak. Such is the plight of the 3-9 Jets, who haven't won consecutive games this season.

Today's game against the 7-5 Browns at Giants Stadium provides the Jets a chance at winning a second consecutive game for the first time this season.

"It would be nice to win all four of our [remaining] games," receiver Justin McCareins said. "It would be nice to finish the season strong. But the first thing we've got to do is win two in a row."

The Jets, to their credit, have continued pushing to get better despite having long been eliminated from the playoffs.

"Your film is your resume," receiver Laveranues Coles said. "It's easy to be a part of something when you're winning, but when you're not winning, that's when true character shows up and when you find the guys who are going to go out and fight with you."

Here's an inside look at the fight the Jets face today:

BEST BATTLE

Jets CB Darrelle Revis vs. Browns WR Braylon Edwards. Revis, who has one interception this season and has played well, will have his hands full with Edwards, who has 62 catches and 12 touchdowns. Revis will need to do the things he did against Dallas' Terrell Owens and meet Edwards at the line of scrimmage with a physical bump-and-run game to veer him off his routes.

HOME RUN DERBY

Between the Jets' Leon Washington and the Browns' Josh Cribbs there's a decent chance there will be at least one kickoff returned for a touchdown. Cribbs, who leads the NFL with a 31.2-yard average, has taken two back for touchdowns this season. He, too, leads the Browns' in kick coverage tackles and averages 11.6 yards on punt returns. Washington, second to Cribbs in kickoff-return average at 30.6 yards, has returned three for touchdowns this season. One of the two will represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl.

KEEPING UP WITH JONES

Jets RB Thomas Jones, who is quietly 10th in the NFL and sixth in the AFC with 838 rushing yards, will have a chance to have a big day against a Browns defense that's ranked 28th in the league in rushing yards allowed. Look for the Jets to try to bang Jones for at least 25 carries in an effort to keep the high-powered Cleveland offense off the field. If Jones rushes for 100 or more yards, the chances of the Jets winning are great. Of the four games in which Jones has rushed for 75 or more yards, the Jets have won three.

SACKS APPEAL

The Jets recorded nine sacks in their first nine games this season and lost eight of those first nine. In their last three games, they have 13 sacks and have won two of those three. The Browns will provide a significant challenge in this area since they don't allow a lot of sacks. Derek Anderson has been taken down 11 times in 406 pass attempts. Jets defensive tackles C.J. Mosley and Dewayne Robertson have provided some good pass rush push of late.

FOE FACT

Only three running backs in the NFL have more rushing touchdowns than the eight Cleveland's Jamal Lewis has this season.

JETS FACT

Kicker Mike Nugent has made 17 of his last 18 field goal attempts, with his miss coming on a 54-yarder. He's been successful on his last 10.

NUMBER TO KNOW

17. That's the consecutive number of field goals made against the Jets.

CANNIZZARO'S CALL

JETS - 24

BROWN - 23

The Jets will have chances on offense to make some big plays and put up some points against the Browns' 32nd-ranked defense. Look for the Jets to be physical with Edwards and do some blitzing to shake up Anderson's passing.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, AT 3-9, THERE IS NONE

December 9, 2007 -- BET the house on the Browns today, if only because this week the Jets don't seem to care if anyone's wagering against them.

"It doesn't matter to me," said David Bowens, asked if playing a 7-5 team trying to maintain a playoff spot made a game more fun at 3-9. "Our opponent this week happens to be our opponent, we're playing games for our own morale.

"But last week was different. It did tick me off."

After losing without apparent bitterness to losers like Cincinnati, Washington, and Philadelphia the Jets suddenly, curiously, drew a line over a betting line that found them underdogs on the road to the winless Dolphins.

"All those people counted us out," Shaun Ellis said after the 40-13 rout. "I hope we made them eat their words.

"Our games have been close, too. What makes us the guinea pigs?"

Playing most of 11 games like meek laboratory animals who can't find their way out of a maze, that's what made the Jets guinea pigs. Respect has to be earned, as would a win over a Cleveland team not about to turn over the ball five times the way Miami did.

Today's would be a real victory, one that would give the Jets three in four weeks and perhaps valid reason to at least begin thinking of themselves as a good team that spent too much of the season playing bad.

That mirror, in which the Jets have been claiming to see themselves, is only a funhouse mirror. All they have done in 2007 is prove 10-6 in 2006 was a fluke. The Jets haven't been particularly injured or unlucky, only not very good. Coming close repeatedly only means they have repeatedly failed in the clutch.

So after someone explains to Ellis that a betting line is only a bookie's tool to entice betting on both teams, he needs to be told that a defensive end receiving, but not really earning, $4.5 million this year (cap hit $6.725 million) sounds like a loser when, too late in a lost season, he takes motivation over something so stupid.

The Jets earned no respect in clobbering the Dolphins and their flummoxed rookie quarterback, only established themselves as a team clearly better than one of the worst in history. The proud conquerors remained 28th in the NFL in offense, 25th in defense, and have more guys with whom they can't go forward next season than they will admit.

So if Jets thought they proved something by beating the Dolphins last week, that's a symptom of a problem, not a solution.

"It's [not] really consistent with how we approach each game," Eric Mangini said. "Playoff-bound or not playoff-bound, you're just trying to do the best you can to get ready for that Sunday."

Of course, next Sunday can't help but be more than that. The Patriots will be the team three games from history and the Jets the snitches. Sick as it is for cheats to be bitter toward evidence-turners, the mentality of the street can also be the mentality of the sport. But dwarfing that absurdity was a member of 3-9 team demanding respect.

"I just want to win two games in a row, something we haven't done all season," Justin McCareins said.

Indeed, in a season demanding modesty, one should keep his goals modest. And if the only goal remaining nearing the end of a bad year is to get better, prove it by beating Cleveland before defeating Tennessee and Kansas City, too.

"It doesn't really matter to me we're playing a team that has a playoff chance," Kerry Rhodes said. "And it didn't bother me, like it did some other guys, that we were underdogs against a winless team."

"I just want to win games."

That's what their coach always wants them to say. We were reminded why last week, when a few Jets ridiculously said more.

jay.greenberg@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Aerial attack faces flight risk

Jeff Schudel, JSchudel@News-Herald.com

12/09/2007

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Scouting report: After slow start, Jets have 13 sacks in last three games

SCOUTING THE BROWNS

Pass protection, solid for Derek Anderson all season while allowing him to be sacked only 11 times, will be sorely tested today. The Jets have 13 sacks in the last three games after registering only nine in the first nine games. The Browns won't be able to zero in on one or two rushers because the Jets pour it on from both sides and the middle.

Anderson has to be careful with the ball. Eight of his 13 interceptions have been thrown in road games.

Opponents have scored first in eight games. The Browns lost four of those, meaning they lost only once, to the Steelers last month, when scoring first.

Leigh Bodden owes the Browns. Not only did he foolishly kick the ball last week to draw a penalty that gave the Cardinals a first down, he also gave up a touchdown on a pass to Bryant Johnson. Bodden was beaten badly on a fade to the deep corner. Today, he will be matched with Lavernues Coles when he lines up outside as the right cornerback. Coles is second on the Jets with 48 catches and first with six touchdown catches.

SCOUTING THE JETS

Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens is learning on the fly. The second-year player from Oregon has completed just more than half his passes - 93-for-183 - and he is averaging just 6.16 yards an attempt. By comparison, Anderson is averaging 7.54 yards an attempt. Clemens has thrown four touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He is more mobile than Chad Pennington, whom he replaced, but he has been sacked 20 times. The Browns could not ask for a better opponent as they try to get back on the winning track.

Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has tried to offset Clemens' lack of experience by using trick plays. The Browns have to be wary of shovel passes, reverses and direct snaps to running back Leon Washington.

The Jets are weak rushing the ball with only five rushing touchdowns. They average 3.7 yards a carry. Browns coach Romeo Crennel said his defense "isn't very good." If they don't hold the Jets to fewer than 20 points, he is undoubtedly correct.

Schudel's prediction: Browns 27, Jets 24

[Kentucky Jet]

WHO'S THE FASTEST GUN FROM NORTHWEST

By MARK CANNIZZARO

December 9, 2007 -- The state of Oregon will be watching the Jets-Browns game today with a Duck and a Beaver battling it out in a pro-style "Civil War."

Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens, who went to Oregon, and Browns quarterback Derek Anderson, who went to Oregon State, are good friends dating back to some high school battles.

Clemens called the "Civil War" rivalry game between Oregon and Oregon State "one of the biggest events in the state every year."

"In Oregon, you're either a Beaver or a Duck, and there's no in-between," Clemens said. "When that game comes around, it's a packed house in the stadium, there are people watching it all throughout the state and it's for bragging rights.

"You can have a losing season going into that game, and if you're a Duck and you beat the Beavers, it was a good year, and vice versa. It's a great rivalry."

Clemens and Anderson met as teenagers at a football camp in California and became rivals on the football field and basketball court.

"We have had a few battles ... one or three," Anderson said jokingly.

"It's really an amazing thing how two guys from small towns in Oregon can now be starting for NFL teams and going to go against one another," Clemens said.

*

The unique friendship two quarterbacks have won't be the only battle amongst friends today. Eric Mangini and Browns head coach Romeo Crennel have been close friends ever since they worked together on Bill Parcells' Jets staff in 1997.

"'RAC' is a great friend, a great guy," Mangini said. "He's a guy that I can call with a lot of different issues. He has had the same experiences a year ahead of [me], so I was able to run some ideas off of him because he had been going through things for the first time, and we had a similar frame of reference.

"We could draw on those experiences and compare and contrast. So that was a nice sounding board. Still is."

*

Jets S Kerry Rhodes has an interception in each of the last three games. Rhodes, who leads the Jets with four interceptions, has been playing up to his Pro Bowl-like level of a year ago.

The Browns have committed more than twice as many penalties (95 for 716 yards) as the Jets (46 for 360) this season.

The Jets will be without leading receiver Jerricho Cotchery (broken finger) for the second consecutive game. WR Laveranues Coles (ankle) is expected to play ... The Jets will conduct a Toys for Tots drive today at Giants Stadium and are asking fans to bring a new and unwrapped toy to any of the stadium gates.

[Kentucky Jet]

NFL in focus: Dark clouds over Miami aren't likely to dissipate quickly

(Original publication: December 9, 2007)

In focus, by Ernie Palladino

One of the great showstoppers in "Damn Yankees'' is "You Gotta Have Heart," a paean to stick-to-itiveness and loyalty when the chips are down.

Households all over southern Florida should be playing that now as the Dolphins trek toward an 0-16 season. At least owner Wayne Huizenga should hope so. With an away game in Buffalo today, a home game against a Ravens team that is tougher than its 4-8 record indicates, a road game in New England (ha!), and a season-ending home game against Cincinnati (last gasp), it's going to be hard for the Dolphins to avoid taking an oh-fer in 2007.

That wouldn't be so bad if 0-16 didn't have such gruesome implications for the franchise. All teams face the sea of empty seats when a season goes bye-bye early. But the Dolphins could play to half-empty buildings down the road, too.

The team is asking its fans for patience, naturally. Things will get better, they say. And, quite likely, the majority of the 50,000 or so die-hards will believe them and stick by them.

It's the other 20,000 or so that they need to avoid local blackouts that will be the problem. See, not everybody in Miami lives to see the Dolphins. Much of that city's population comes from someplace else. So if the Dolphins really aren't worth seeing, those folks aren't going to be snapping up the tickets at any great rate.

They're Jets fans, Bears fans, Giants fans, Patriots fans, all of whom moved to Miami to enjoy the soothing climes. They don't need to fill up their Sundays with losing football.

Which brings us back to the song. How do you give a fan base heart, the resolve to look past the current problems and gaze into a brighter future?

You offer hope, which is exactly the commodity the Dolphins haven't offered. Their best draft choice since 2003, running back Ronnie Brown, got hurt early this season. They traded their best receiver. And they're down to a third quarterback in John Beck, who, after showing some flashes in his first start, now looks nothing like an NFL quarterback.

Add to that the idea that the Dolphins appear to have lost faith in anything coach Cam Cameron says, and you have a team in turmoil.

As if 0-12 doesn't take care of that, anyway.

The question, though, is the future. A coaching change, the third since Nick Saban tried the NFL on for size in 2005, could offer hope. The players would probably welcome it. Support for Cameron in the locker room is perilously low.

"To be honest, I'm not worried about his job security," said Dolphins cornerback Will Allen, a former Giant. "I'm worried about my job security."

Coaching changes are great. They shake up the whole organization. But as Allen's comment indicates, starting over with a new coach and a new system means finding and identifying players to fit into it. That could take time.

A nice draft would spark some interest. Just make sure LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey is a can't-miss.

Luring a high-profile free agent or two would also create excitement. But who wants to play for an 0-16 team unless there's a monumental paycheck involved?

About all the Fishy fence-sitters can do is keep humming that song and convince themselves that better times are coming.

When?

Probably not in the near future.

But hey, you gotta have heart. Miles and miles and miles of heart.

Around the AFC

Say what? Steelers second-year safety Anthony Smith came out with one of those paper-clad guarantees last week, saying they'll end the 12-0 Patriots' streak today at Gillette Stadium. "We're going to win," Smith said. "Yeah, I guarantee a win." The comment obviously sent shock waves through the Patriots' locker room. When apprised of the comment, Patriots safety Rodney Harrison first asked, "Who was it?" When told it was Smith, he said, "Never heard of him."

Billick worried: Ravens coach Brian Billick was worried that his team's penalty-filled game against the Patriots (there they are again) might have a carry-over effect with the officials. "I think the league will tell you, 'No. We call what we see,' " Billick said. "But human nature says that's apt to happen." He's got a point, considering one of linebacker Bart Scott's two unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties on the same play in that wild finish involved flinging an official's flag into the stands. Refs don't like it when they have to buy new equipment. It doesn't help either that the Ravens now have been flagged for a combined five personal-foul and unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties over the last three games.

Grieving Chiefs: As if injuries haven't hurt the 4-8 Chiefs enough, now they're being thinned by deaths in players' families. They might play today without starting right tackle Chris Terry, whose mother passed away, and starting linebacker Derrick Johnson, who lost his father. "That's an emotional decision," coach Herman Edwards said of their availability against the Broncos. "You just have to look the player in the eye and see where he's at. If they can't do it, they don't play."

Tame Texans: The 5-7 Texans haven't scored a third-quarter point in the last six games or a third-quarter touchdown in the last 10. It all has taken away their comeback ability. Houston is 1-6 when trailing at halftime. In all of their losses, they've trailed at the end of the third quarter.

Around the NFC

"Bounty"-ful lunch: Cowboys linebacker Bradie James is offering lunch to any of his teammates who get a clean hit on the Lions' already-hurting quarterback, Jon Kitna, for some harsh comments Kitna made to a Seattle radio station after their meeting last season. Kitna in particular criticized James and cornerback Terence Newman. And Newman appears to be in an eating mood. "He better just hope I don't blitz off the edge, because I've got 15, 25, 30 (thousand dollars) for a fine. I've got that much for one fine. Revenge will be sweet, definitely." A letter Newman got from the league informed him that his "thoughtless and irresponsible" comments will bring added scrutiny.

No go: If the 6-6 Vikings are building for the future, that future probably will happen in the Metrodome. Minnesota state leaders said they won't consider funding a long-sought new stadium in 2008. The Vikings have had several stadium initiatives fall through in more prosperous times. And now the state legislature has other priorities, such as unemployment, infrastructure improvements and a growing state deficit. The Vikings want the public to kick in $700 million for a proposed $954 million retractable-roof structure.

Exception: The 8-4 Bucs are the only division leaders and one of only two teams with winning records to not have the same quarterback start all their games. With Jeff Garcia hurt, they had to bring in Luke McCown against the Saints last week (Garcia expects to play today against the Texans). Only 7-5 Cleveland stands with the Bucs as a winner despite multiple quarterbacks, and that's more a technicality. Derek Anderson came into the opener against Pittsburgh after Charlie Frye started, and Anderson has stayed there.

New strength: The 6-6 Cardinals are in the wild-card hunt, but with three defensive starters down, the once-anemic offense is carrying the team. The offense has scored 27 or more points in four straight games for the first time since 1988. That could come to an end today with receivers Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring) and Anquan Boldin (toe) both hurting.

Extra points

Unfriendly reunion: Old adversaries Brett Favre and Warren Sapp will meet at Lambeau Field for the first time since 2001, when the defensive tackle played for Tampa Bay and he and Favre had a talkative give-and-take relationship. In other words, Sapp would give Favre a shot, and then take an earful from the Green Bay quarterback. Now Sapp is a Raider, well past his prime with two sacks. That won't drench the fire, though. "It's going to be good," Sapp said. "I've gone a couple years without seeing that fella, so it's going to be nice to chase him around a while."

Ten-man lineup: The Pro Bowl might have to repeat the "missing man formation" the Redskins' defense used in memory of its late safety, Sean Taylor, to start last week's game against the Bills. Taylor, who died after being shot in his Florida home Nov. 26, is leading the fan balloting with 187,064 votes. That's tops among free safeties in the NFC. Fan voting makes up a third of the selection process, with coaches and player votes accounting for the other two-thirds.

Brotherly love: For the first time in history, two sets of quarterbacking brothers started games and won on the same day - Eli and Peyton Manning of the Giants and Colts, and Josh and Luke McCown of the Raiders and Bucs. That won't happen today, since Tampa Bay's regular starter, Jeff Garcia, is expected to return from a sprained back.

Did you know?

The quick-strike Chargers have had just one touchdown drive in the last four games that lasted longer than 3:30. The span encompasses nine touchdowns.

Quote of the Week

"I won't take nothing. If I don't take nothing, I won't have to worry about it. One and done." - Jaguars defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, on his return from a suspension for testing positive for steroids

Who's hot

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning won the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for the 15th time and surpassed Joe Montana for ninth place on the all-time list for passing yards with 40,695.

Who's not

Saints coach Sean Payton called a risky reverse that turned into a fumble as his team led Tampa Bay 23-20 in the final four minutes. Payton later called the eventual loss "the worst job I've done as a head coach since I've been here."

Power rankings

1. Patriots (12-0)

Another close call. Another escape.

2. Cowboys (11-1)

Winning despite banged-up secondary.

3. Colts (10-2)

Peyton Manning won't throw for four TDs vs. Ravens.

4. Packers (10-2)

Brett Favre is SI's Sportsman of the Year.

5. Steelers (9-3)

Great shot to beat struggling Pats.

6. Giants (8-4)

A team for all roller-coaster enthusiasts.

7. Jaguars (8-4)

Marcus Stroud's return should strengthen defense.

8. Bucs (8-4)

Bruised Jeff Garcia could play vs. Texans.

9. Seahawks (8-4)

Beating Cards would clinch fourth straight division title.

10. Titans (7-5)

Defense must stop LaDainian Tomlinson.

11. Chargers (7-5)

Shawne Merriman getting sacks in bunches.

12. Browns (7-5)

Jets should help playoff chances.

13. Vikings (6-6)

Playing way into playoff contention.

14. Cardinals (6-6)

Facing season-turning game in Seattle.

15. Saints (5-7)

Sean Payton too tricky for own good.

16. Redskins (6-7)

Came back from gut-wrenching loss to Bills.

17. Lions (6-6)

Watching season slide away.

18. Bills (6-6)

Improving defense should drown Dolphins.

19. Eagles (5-7)

Donovan McNabb could be back.

20. Raiders (4-8)

JaMarcus Russell finally getting some work.

21. Broncos (5-7)

Latest team to overlook Oakland.

22. Texans (5-7)

Matt Schaub could be out vs. Bucs.

23. Panthers (5-7)

Jags, Seahawks and Cowboys coming up.

24. Bears (5-8)

No Rex Grossman anymore.

25. Chiefs (4-8)

Five straight losses.

26. Ravens (4-8)

Nearly beat the Pats.

27. Bengals (4-8)

Officially declawed.

28. Rams (3-9)

Dangerous to be a quarterback on this team.

29. Jets (3-9)

Won't have it easy vs. Cleveland.

30. 49ers (3-9)

Now Mike Nolan's ranting on the sideline.

31. Falcons (3-9)

Outscored 90-36 in last three weeks.

32. Dolphins (0-12)

Can't believe they won't win one.

Ernie Palladino

Reach Ernie Palladino at epalladi@lohud.com and read his Giants Journal blog at www.giants.lohudblogs.com.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' Mangini, Browns Crennel to renew friendly rivalry today

By DENNIS WASZAK JR.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

(Original publication: December 9, 2007)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Romeo Crennel got into a car, and one of his daughters put a blindfold over his eyes. The Cleveland Browns' coach was celebrating his 60th birthday and had a surprise waiting for him.

"I said, 'Why do I need a blindfold?' And she said, 'It's because of your gift,' " Crennel recalled. "I asked her, 'What is it? A car, and you can't get it in the house?' By that time, we were there, and I got out of the car and heard voices. I said, 'There's a lot more voices here than family.' Then, I took the blindfold off and saw everybody."

Crennel scanned the crowd, and Jets coach Eric Mangini was among those celebrating the big day back in June.

"I don't know if he was disappointed or happy when he realized that it was just us," Mangini said.

Mangini and Crennel are good friends from their days as assistants with the Jets under Bill Parcells. Today will mark the second time the two will square off as NFL head coaches.

"You know, he wasn't available when I tried to call," Mangini said. "I don't know why. This is one week that he's out."

Mangini was a defensive assistant while Crennel was the Jets' defensive-line coach from 1997-99. Mangini followed Bill Belichick to New England in 2000, and Crennel joined the Patriots' staff a year later after a stint as Cleveland's defensive coordinator.

"He put in some late nights, I put in some late nights, and we would talk football and help each other through different projects," Crennel said. "The friendship just kind of grew."

Crennel and his wife, Rosemary, stayed with Mangini and his wife, Julie, for about six months when the Crennels were having a home built after Romeo took the job as New England's defensive coordinator.

"He's a good guy behind the scenes," Crennel said. "He's fun-loving, he enjoys a good laugh and a good meal. He's like I am, and that's why we get along so well."

While Crennel's Browns (7-5) are in the midst of a playoff run and coming off a disappointing 27-21 loss at Arizona, the Jets (3-9) are hoping to finish with some respectability. The Jets might also have a little extra motivation. Last season, the Browns beat the Jets 20-13 when Chris Baker's one-handed catch in the end zone on fourth down was ruled out of bounds with just over a minute left. Replays showed Baker might have come down in bounds if he hadn't been pushed out.

Coincidentally, the Browns lost on a similar play last weekend, when Kellen Winslow made a spectacular catch but was ruled out of bounds in the final seconds.

"We want to finish out the season on a positive note," Jets rookie cornerback Darrelle Revis said. "If we win this game (today), it's two in a row. We want to keep it positive and get wins."

Victories have been difficult to come by, but the Jets have been playing better of late. They've won two of their last three, including 40-13 last week over winless Miami. The Jets' defense has played particularly well over the last few weeks, with 13 sacks and eight takeaways over the last three games.

"We basically scaled it down," safety Kerry Rhodes said of the Jets' tweaks in the system during the bye week last month. "The things that worked, we're doing. We've limited the playbook and tried to make people just play and not think about a lot of things."

The Jets will have quite a bit to consider this weekend against Cleveland, though. The Browns are ranked sixth in overall offense, led by the emergence of quarterback Derek Anderson.

Anderson, a childhood rival of Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens in Oregon, opened the season as the Browns' backup, but he became the starter in Week 2. He has been one of the league's best quarterbacks, putting up 3,062 yards and 24 touchdowns against 13 interceptions.

"I try to keep plugging away and keep working every week, not really worry about what we've done or have ahead of us," Anderson said. "I stay in the present and try not to get too worried about it. We have done some good things."

Anderson has been helped by having one of the best wide receiver-tight end tandems in the league in Braylon Edwards (62 catches, 1,043 yards, 12 touchdowns) and Winslow (65, 909, five). Jamal Lewis also has re-emerged as one of the league's most reliable running backs, rushing for 803 yards and eight touchdowns.

"(Anderson's) skill players are playing great," Rhodes said. "He has a lot of weapons to choose from."

The Jets' offense, which thrived against the Dolphins, might again have the opportunity to put up points against the Browns' defense, which ranks last in the league.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets-Browns Gameday

Sunday, December 09, 2007

BY DAVE HUTCHINSON

Star-Ledger Staff

When the Jets have the ball: The Jets thumped the Dolphins, 40-13, last week in Miami. Much-criticized offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer called his best game of the season, aided by five Dolphins turnovers. QB Kellen Clemens (six sacks) continues to experience growing pains, but should be helped going against the NFL's last ranked defense. WR Laveranues Coles (five catches, 69 yards) turned in a gutsy performance playing on a tender left ankle. RB Leon Washington (68 yards rushing and two TDs plus two catches for 35 yards) had a season-high 12 touches. RB Thomas Jones, who is 10th in the NFL in rushing with 838 yards, scored his first TD of the season vs. the Dolphins on his 226th carry.

When the Browns have the ball: QB Derek Anderson, an Oregon native like Clemens, has thrown for 3,062 yards (ninth in the NFL) and 24 touchdowns (fourth in the NFL). The Browns are sixth in the NFL in total offense (353.5 yards per game). It starts with a terrific offensive line anchored by rookie LT Joe Thomas and veteran LG Eric Steinbach. TE Kellen Winslow (65 catches, 909 yards, five TDs) and WRs Braylon Edwards (62-1,043-12) and Joe Jurevicius (42-530-3) have skills. Hard-charging RB Jamal Lewis (803 yards, eight TDs) still has some thread on his tires.

Special teams: Browns KR Josh Cribbs (31.2-yard average and two TDs) and the Jets' Leon Washington (30.6-yard average and three TDs) rank first and second in the NFL in kickoff returns. They'll likely battle to be the AFC's KR at the Pro Bowl. Jets K Mike Nugent had hit 10 straight and 17 of the past 18. His only miss is from 54 yards. P Ben Graham averaged 30 yards on two kicks last week and is struggling. Browns K Phil Dawson has connected on 21 of 24 field goals. The Browns lost ace special teams performer, LB Kris Griffin (knee) for the season.

Four Downs

Can the Jets defense continue its post-bye week surge?

The Jets have played well in the three games since their bye, but are facing a juggernaut in the explosive Browns. The Jets must make some tough off-season decisions on the defensive side of the ball, and this game could go a long way in helping them make them. Last week, the defense forced five turnovers and held Miami to just 187 yards total offense, 37 yards rushing, both season-lows for the unit.

Will QB Kellen Clemens show improvement in the pocket?

Clemens has looked uncomfortable in the pocket since hanging in there too long and taking a beating in his first NFL start vs. the Ravens in Week 2. He has looked to run too soon and displayed happy feet while waiting for receivers to get open. Coach Eric Mangini says Clemens must also work on making the correct drops. Clemens is 2-3 in his five starts this season.

Can the Jets play the role of spoiler?

The Browns (7-5) are in the middle of the AFC wild-card chase and a loss to the struggling Jets would be a tough blow to recover from. Cleveland, which hasn't been to the playoffs since 1999, has a favorable schedule, with the Bills, Bengals and 49ers to follow. The Jets can ruin those best-laid plans.

Can WR Laveranues Coles turn in another gutsy performance?

Coles, whose injury history is well documented, said he played in the most pain of his career last week, with a high left ankle sprain vs. the Dolphins. He has been limping all week and has been extremely limited in practice, but he's expected to go again, especially with WR Jerricho Cotchery (broken right index finger) out.

History: The Browns lead the all-time series, 11-7, including a 20-13 victory last season in Cleveland when TE Chris Baker's one-handed catch in the end zone with 1:06 to play was ruled out of bounds.

One more thing: The Browns are 4-15 in December since their last playoff appearance in 2002.

Prediction: Browns 27, Jets 24

[Kentucky Jet]

A friendly faceoff

Sunday, December 09, 2007

BY JENNY VRENTAS

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- When Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel turned 60 this past June, his daughter blindfolded him and led him to his surprise birthday bash.

"I said, 'Why do I need a blindfold?'" Crennel recalled last week. "She said, 'Because of your gift.' I asked her, 'What is it, a car and you can't get it in the house?'"

When they arrived, Crennel heard a clamor of voices coming from far more people than just family members. He took the blindfold off and saw his gift -- not a car, but a crowd of friends, including Jets coach Eric Mangini.

Today, Crennel and Mangini will reunite again, this time at the Meadowlands, when the Jets (3-9) host the Browns (7-5) at 4:15 p.m. They first met in 1997 when they were Jets assistant coaches on Bill Parcells' staff, where they stayed for three seasons. Then, from 2001-04, they coached together under Bill Belichick, Crennel as the Patriots' defensive coordinator and Mangini as the defensive backs coach.

Crennel left for his current head coaching job in 2005, and Mangini followed suit a year later.

"I was able to run some ideas off of him because he had been going through things for the first time, and we had a similar frame of reference," Mangini said. "So that was a nice sounding board. Still is."

All weeks but this week, of course. This afternoon will be the second time the friends have faced off as NFL head coaches, and each fields a team in a vastly different set of circumstances. The Jets already are playing for next season, while the Browns are second in the AFC North and fighting for a playoff berth, which would be the team's first since 2002.

When their teams met last season, Cleveland won at home, 20-13, as the Jets' late rally fell just short with a final apparent touchdown catch ruled out of bounds.

Crennel remembers his friendship with Mangini originating with a lot of late nights during their stint with the Jets. Mangini, then in his late 20s, was the defensive quality control coach and would go to Crennel, the defensive line coach, with questions as he learned the team's defense. Crennel, along with Belichick (then with the Jets) and Al Groh, then the Jets' defensive backs and linebackers coaches, would often refer to their tenure with the Giants, games Mangini remembered watching on television.

"When you spend as much time as you do with the assistant coaches, it can be tough. It's like a submarine sometimes," Mangini said. "But he's a guy that you were always glad to be able to go and work with day in and day out."

Crennel came to New England in 2001, and he and his wife stayed with Mangini and his wife, Julie, for about six months while their house was being finished. Later, Mangini attended Crennel's daughter's wedding, seated at the coaches' table next to Giants head coach Tom Coughlin.

Since their days in New England, Mangini's relationship with Belichick has soured, particularly in the wake of this fall's "Spygate." But Mangini's friendship with Crennel, who first coached with Belichick back in 1981, appears unaffected.

Jets linebacker Matt Chatham, who played for the Patriots from 2000-05, remembers how close the coaching staff was during his time there, including Mangini and Crennel.

"A lot was expected of them, maybe more so than on other staffs, so all those hours and all those demanding times together makes people closer together," Chatham said. "(Mangini and Crennel) believe in a lot of the same things: the hard work aspect, what it takes to get it done, the kind of defensive system we run."

Mangini first broke into the NFL with the Cleveland Browns in 1994, first as a ballboy, then as a public relations intern. Drawing on those days last week, Mangini arranged to have lunch delivered to the Cleveland media on Wednesday, a bountiful spread from a local Italian restaurant.

"He enjoys a good laugh, and he enjoys a good meal," Crennel said with a chuckle. "He's like I am, and that's why we get along so well."

Jenny Vrentas may be reached at

jvrentas@starledger.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets safety Abram Elam moves from troubled past and thrives in New York lineup

15 hours ago

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - When the NFL season began, Abram Elam was out of a job.

A few months later, the hard-hitting safety is firmly entrenched in the New York Jets' starting lineup.

"That's always been my dream and I just thank the coaching staff for having me prepared and giving me the opportunity," Elam said. "I feel like I'm getting more comfortable each and every week with each and every start."

Elam, who spent his rookie season with Dallas but was one of the Cowboys' last preseason cuts, has become a steady performer playing alongside Kerry Rhodes in the secondary. He has 55 tackles, including seven on special teams, and started the last six games for the Jets.

"I appreciate this opportunity because I know it's not given to everybody," Elam said. "I thank God for putting me in this situation and allowing me to get a chance to follow my dream."

That didn't always appear to be a possibility because of a poor decision he made five years ago.

In April 2002, Elam and three Notre Dame teammates were accused of sexually assaulting a female student at an off-campus house. Criminal charges, including rape or conspiracy to commit rape, were filed against the four after they were expelled by the university that May.

Elam, who wasn't charged with rape, was convicted of sexual battery, the least serious of three charges against him, and received two years' probation. Elam's former teammates, who were charged with rape, were not convicted.

After two years of legal troubles and soul searching, Elam returned to football and played one season at Kent State. He had 64 tackles and three interceptions as he tried to put his life and football career back on track.

Elam went undrafted and signed with Dallas last season, playing mostly on special teams and recording 15 tackles. After the Cowboys waived him on Sept. 2, New York did a thorough background check that included coach Eric Mangini speaking to Bill Parcells, Elam's former coach with the Cowboys, and Dean Pees, Elam's college coach at Kent State. The Jets were satisfied and signed him during the second week of the season.

He hasn't forgotten about the incident at Notre Dame, but has tried to move on.

"I'm just focused on what I need to do right now," the 26-year-old Elam said. "This is my profession, this is my job now and this is the most important thing right now in my life. I'm trying to do everything I know is right and continue to be the person I know I am."

The Jets like what they've seen from Elam - on and off the field.

"He's done a great job," Mangini said. "What I like about him so much is the tempo he sets at practice. He's another guy that came to a new team, a similar system, but a new team, and wasn't uncomfortable making calls, wasn't uncomfortable establishing a level of practising, practice habits, things like that."

Elam was inactive for two weeks after being signed by New York on Sept. 12 while he got accustomed to the Jets' defence. He has helped Rhodes become a more disruptive force the past few weeks; Rhodes has interceptions in each of his last three games.

"The coaches have me playing down in the box more, which allows Kerry to stay back and he can roam," Elam said. "Kerry has great range and he has good ball skills, so he takes advantage of the opportunities."

Elam recently joined rookie cornerback Darrelle Revis in frequent game film study sessions at Rhodes' home.

"Abe's a good guy, man," Rhodes said. "He's a smart guy and he wants to be a good player. He offered to come over to the house and watch film with me and get better as a player. I took him in and he's done a great job with that. He's just one of those players that wants to be good. He's not going to settle on being average."

Elam's aggressive approach and hard hits have become a familiar sight, including five games ago when he mistakenly knocked into Revis as Buffalo's Lee Evans broke free and scored the go-ahead touchdown on an 85-yard reception. Elam is trying to save his big hits for opposing wide receivers.

"We try to take care of our teammates throughout the week," he said with a smile. "It's getting later in the season and we want to try to have everybody ready for Sunday, so I just have to understand to tone it down throughout the week and try to take it over to the game."

[JetCane]

Thanks again, KJ!